Two piece flat cable connector

ABSTRACT

A bipartite connector for a flat cable conductor comprises a first element having a lance portion and an electrical contact portion; a second element of generally channel-shaped crosssection comprising a base and two side walls, an integral tongue being struck from the base into the channel. To form a connection, the lance portion of the first element is caused to penetrate the top surface insulation of a flat conductor to contact the conductor longitudinally of the cable and the edges of the side walls of the second element are then caused to pierce the insulation lands laterally of the flat conductor and to be bent inwardly to contact the lance portion of the first element and clamp the lance portion and the flat conductor between the edges and the base.

United. States Patent 1 Te ag no et al.

[54] TWO PIECE FLAT CABLE CONNECTOR [75] Inventors: Wladimiro Teagno; Luigi Campari,

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 30, 1970 Italy ..26773 A/70 [52] US. CL... ..l74/88 R, 174/117 FF, 339/95 R, 339/97 R, 339/276 T [51] Int. Cl. ..H0lr 5/00 [58] Field of Search [3174/84 C, 88 R, 117 FF, 95 R,

v 174/97 R, 276 T;'339 /95 R, 97 R, 97 C, 17 F, 223 R, 276 T; 29/628, 629

56 e References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS v 3,079,458 2/1963 Hedstrom 174/1 17 FF [11] 3,715,457 51 Feb. 6, 1973 and John P. Vandenburg [57] ABSTRACT A bipartite connector for a flat cable conductor comprises a first element having a lance portion and an electrical contact portion; a second element of generally channel-shaped cross-section comprising a base and two side walls, an integral tongue being struck from the base into the channel. To form a connection, the lance portion of the first element is caused to penetrate the top surface insulation of a flat conductor to contact the conductor longitudinally of the cable and the edges of the side walls of the second element are then caused to pierce the insulation lands laterally of the flat conductor and to be bent inwardly to contact the lance portion of the first element and clamp the lance portion and the flat conductor between the edges and the base.

1 Claim,.4 Drawing Figures TWO PIECE FLAT CABLE CONNECTOR The invention relates to the electrical connection of flat cable conductors.

In our US. Pat. No. 3,395,381 there is described and claimed a flat cable connector having a channel-shaped cross-section comprising a base and two side walls, an integral lance struck from the base into the channel and a stop member behind the lance arranged to prevent the lance moving into the plane of the base, the edges of the side walls being adapted to pierce the insulation of a flat conductor and to be bent inwardly to make contact with a conductor; a method of connecting a flat cable conductor to such connector, comprising aligning the connector in overlying relationship to the conductor with the side walls extending towards the surfaceof the cable, pressing the side wallsthrough the cable, causing the side walls to curve inwardly so that their edges pierce the insulation and make contact with one side of the conductor, and pressing the other side of the cable in contact with the base of the connector sothat the lance pierces the insulation of the cable and contact the other side of the conductor and continuing to apply pressure until the lance abuts the stop member; and a connection between such a connector and'a flat cable conductor made by the method.

Such a connector is of great value interminating flat cable comprising flat conductors arranged in generally parallel spaced relation and bonded between top and tendency for the insulation of such cable to resist penetration by the abbve-inentioned connector and the invention concerns connectors specifically for such cable.

Aflat cable bipartite connector according to the invention comprises 'afirst element having a lance portion and an electrical contact portion; a second element of generally channel-shaped cross-section comprising a base and opposite side-walls, an integral tongue being struck from the base into the channel; the lance portion of the first element being adapted to penetrate theinsulation covering a surface of a flat 'cohductor to contact the conductor longitudinally of the cable, the edges of the side walls of the second element being adapted to pierce the insulation lands laterally of the flat conductor after penetration of the "lance portion of the first element and to be bent inwja'rdly. to contact the lance portion of the first element and urge'it towardsthe base- The invention includes a connection of a flat cable conductor and a connector of the invention, the lance jportion of the first element lying longitudinally of the cable between a surface of the flat conductor and the adjacent surface insulation,'the.side wallsof the second elementpenetrating the insulation lands laterally of the flat conductor and bent inwardly of the channel with their longitudinal edges contacting the lance portion, the lance "portion and'the flat conductor being urged towards thebase.

The invention is described by way of example with reference to the accompanying partly diagrammatic drawings, in whichr FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a flat cable having connectors of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first and second elements ofa connector in loose piece condition;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of one of the connections of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the lines IVIV of FIG. 3.

The flat cable 1 of FIG. 1 comprises flat conductive strips 2, usually composed of copper, arranged in generally parallel spaced relation longitudinally of the cable. Layers of insulating material 3 are located above and below the flat conductors 2. The layers are bonded together to form thin insulating lands 4 between adjacent conductors and at the longitudinal free edges of the cable. The conductors 2 are left relatively loose within conduits between adjacent insulation lands 4.

The connector of FIG. 2 comprises a first element 5 and a second element 6, each formed with others, not

shown, in strip form from electrically conductive resilient metal. The first element 5 has a forward lance portion 7 and a rearward contact portion comprising lateral lugs 8 for crimping connectionto a wire, not shown. The second element 6 is of channel-shape cross-section having a base 9 and upstanding side walls 10. The longitudinal edges of the side walls are bevelled as shown to define insulation piercing edges 11. A pair of opposite inwardly directed tongues 12 is struck up from the base 9.

In use, the lance portion 7 of a first element 5 is forced to penetrate an insulating layer about a flat con ductor 2 either adjacent an end of the cable or intermediate the cable ends. A second element 6 is then brought from below the conductor 2 with the side walls 10 longitudinally aligned with the insulation lands 4 on each side of that flat conductor. The second element 6 v is then forced upwardly to cause the piercing edges 11 to pierce the lands and then the side walls 10 to penetrate the lands. The portions of the side wall 10 above the lance portion 7 are then bent overtowards the lance portion until the edges 11 pierce the top insulating layer to contact the lance portion and to the condition of FIG. 3. The lance portion 7 of the first element 5 strengthens the flat conductor 2 to provide a counterforce to the deformation of the second element 6 and acts as a wedge to increase the mechanical strength of the connection. The lance portion and the conductor 2 are clamped together between the free edge 11 on one side and the tongues 12 on the other and this causes extrusion of the metal so cutting through oxide film and ensuring a good electrical connection.

We claim:

l. A connection of a flat cable conductor and a bipartite connector, the connector comprising a first element having a lance portion and a contact portion, a second element of channel-shaped cross-section comprising a base and opposite side walls, an integral tongue being struck from the base into the channel, the lance portion of the first element lying longitudinally of the cable between a surface of a fiat conductor and an adjacent insulating surface, the side wallsof the second element penetrating insulation lands laterally of the flat conductor and being bent inwardly of the channel with their longitudinal edges in contact with the lance portion, the lance portion and the flat conductor being urged towards the base of the channel. 

1. A connection of a flat cable conductor and a bipartite connector, the connector comprising a first element having a lance portion and a contact portion, a second element of channelshaped cross-section comprising a base and opposite side walls, an integral tongue being struck from the base into the channel, the lance portion of the first element lying longitudinally of the cable between a surface of a flat conductor and an adjacent insulating surface, the side walls of the second element penetrating insulation lands laterally of the flat conDuctor and being bent inwardly of the channel with their longitudinal edges in contact with the lance portion, the lance portion and the flat conductor being urged towards the base of the channel. 